System of and apparatus for refrigerating



'(Np Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. SNYDER.

SYSTEM Q]? AND APPARATUS. FOR REFRIGERATING. No. 378,819. Patented Nov.15, 1887.

N. PEIERS, Phnln-Ulhugrupher, Wishlngmm D C.

(No Model.) 7 I 2 Sheets-Shet 2.

A. SNYDER.

SYSTEM OF AND- APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING. No. 373,319. Patented Nov.15, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT Cri cs.

AUGUST SNYDER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SYSTElVlOF AND APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING.

EIPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,319, datedNovember 15', 1887.

Application filed April 26, 1887. Serial No. 236,221. (No model) To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST SNYDER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSystems and Apparatus for Refrigerating; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My present invention has relation to a sys tem and apparatus for coolingand refrigerating of that class wherein the reduction of the temperatureis produced by the alternate contraction and expansion of gas or vaporthrough the medium of compression-cylinders, reservoir-pipes, coils,85c.

In the class of apparatus referred to it is customary to employ a singlecompression apparatus, reservoir, &-c., with a single line of pipeleading to and from acoil of pipe within a tank filled with salt orbriny water, called the brine-tank, the gas or vapor being drawn back tothe compression apparatus and reservoir after it has been allowed toexpand in the brine-tank and usedover and over again, and the'salt waterbeing pumped from the brinetank through coils of pipe arranged in thebuilding or apparatus to be cooled. When but a singlecompression-cylinder, reservoir, expansion-ooil, &c., are employed,thereis always danger that by reason of some accident to some portion theworking of the apparatus may be interrupted for a time and great loss ofstock or material which should be kept cool result.

In addition to the inconveniences which are sure to result from astoppage of the refrigerating apparatus, the gas constituting the chargeof the same is necessarily allowed to go to waste whenever for anyreason it becomes necessary to disconnect. any of the pipes-of thesystem or open the compressioncylinder.

My invention has for its object the provision of means whereby in asystem of refrigerating any of the parts of the apparatus employed maybe disconnected or removed, if necessary, without discontinuing orinterrupting the re frigerating process and without wasting any of thegas or vapor with which the apparatus is charged.

be operated while the other one is idle or being taken apart orrepaired, the gas from the idle 'com ressor reservoir and connectionsbein drawn or pumped into the one which is being operated, and all lossof gas thereby avoided.

My invention has for its further object the provision of meanswhereby,in a refrigerating apparatus employing two brine-tanks, thebrine from both tanks may be conveyed through a single line of coolingpipes or coils, or the brine from each tank may be separately conveyedto a different line of pipe or coils, the one being employed to coolwort in the brewing process While the other may be employed in coolingchambers, cellars, apartments, or, in' fact, for any purpose whatsoever.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means whereby anyammonia which may be absorbed by the oil which is employed inlubricating the compression-cylinders may be regained and restored fromthe oil-tank to the reservoir and pipes comprising-the ammonia system.

My invention consists in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation,pa'rtlyin section, and Fig. 2 a plan View, of the refrigerating systemshowing my improvements. v

A A designate two compression-cylinders, whose piston-rods are bothconnected with and receive motion from a crank-wheel, B, on the shaft Bof a steam-engine. The construction of these compression-cylinders andtheir connection with the driving-enginehave been fully described andillustrated in Letters Patent issued to me October 26, 1886, No.351,665, and in application for Letters Patent filed by me August 22,1885, No. 175,574, and need not, therefore, be now particularlydescribed,- it being sufficient to remark that the,compression'cylinders are of the doubleacting type and are provided ateach end with an ingressvalve communicating with a pipe leading to therefrigerating system.

C O designate the two reservoirs with which the egress-valv.es a c a aof the two compression-cylinders A A communicate by branch pipes a a",which join at a", where a cock, c", is placed. From the top of thereservoirs C 0' proceed pipes E E, leading off in any desired directionto the point where the compressed gas is cooled.

In the drawings I have illustrated a convenient arrangement of theseveral necessary parts of the complete apparatus, the compressors, withtheir driving-engine and the bri ne-pumps,being located alongside thebri netank, while the ammonia-cooling coils and tanks are arranged abovethe same; but I wish it to be understood that the relative positions ofthese parts may be varied according to circumstances.

Just above the reservoirs G O the pipes E E are provided with stopcocksJ J, and from thence the pipes E E proceed uninterruptcdly toward theammoniacooling coils, being provided with stop-cocks K K and 7a isbefore merging into said cooling-coils. Between the cocks K K and k kthe pipes E E are joined by a branch pipe, i, provided with a stopcock,I.

F F designate the ammonia-cooling coils, which consist of a series ofsinuous pipes arranged in any desired or convenient manner in and abovewater-troughs G G. ater is supplied to and flows over the coils from thewater-pipe F which has outlets at f f, delivering the water into pans17g, whence it flows down over the coils F F and into the troughs G G,which arethus kept full of changing water.

The coil F, it should be understood, is continuous with the pipe E,while the coil F is continuous with the pipe E. After leaving the watertroughs G G the pipes E E are diminished to about onehalf the size ofthe preceding portion thereof, and proceed to and enter the top of thebrine-tank, being provided with cocks L L before entering said tank.

The brine-tank consists of two separate compartments, R t, bitingcentrally divided by a vertical partition, 1, and each of the twocompartments contains two manifold casings, one at the top and the otherat or near the bottom, these manifolds being lettered O O and P P,respectively, and the two manifolds at the top and bottom of eachcompartment being connected by several lines of siuuously-l'ormedvertical pipes, Q Q Q and Q Q Q.

The pipes E E pass down vertically through the respective compartments RR, and finally connect with the centers of the manifolds P l Themanifolds O O at the top of the compartments It R connect with thereturn-pipes and return the expanded gas to the compressioncylinders.Said rcturirpipes are lettered D D, respectively, and they areconnected, as before said, with the manifolds O O, from which they passout through the top of the brinetank, and are provided above the top ofthe latter with a connecting-pipe, 71, provided with a stop cock, H, andbelow the pipe h with stopcocks M M, and from this point they proceed tothe compressioncylinders A A, being provided with stop-cocks N N, justprevious to their connection with the ingressvalves a a of saidcylinders.

In the drawings the arrows 1 1 show the course of the ammonia from thecompressioncylinders to the brine-tank and the arrows 2 2 the course ofthe returning ammonia from the brinetanks to the cylinders.

The operation of so much of the device as has been described is asfollows: It being premised that the reservoirs, cylinders, coils, andconnecting-pipes have been filled with ammonia under pressure and thatthe brine tanks have been filled with brine by the operation of thecompression-cylinders A A, the ammonia is drawn from the pipes D D andforced into the reservoirs G G, whence it proceeds by way of the pipes ED to the coolingcoils F F, where it is deprived of its heat by the waterfrom pipe F Leaving the coolingcoils F F, the ammonia passes through thenow diminished pipes E E, through the cocks L L to the lower manifolds,P1. Expanding at this point and in its passage upwardly to the manifoldsO 0, through the pipes Q Q, the ammonia absorbs heat from the brinesurrounding the said manifolds aud connectingpipes, the temperature ofthe brine being thereby reduced to the requisite degree. From themanifolds O O the gas is drawn through the pipes D D to theingress-valves of the compression-cylimlers and again compressed; andthe continuous operation is carried out indefinitely or as long as theapparatus remains in good working order. We will now suppose that one ofthe compression-eylinders-say, for instance, the compressor Aneedsrepairs, or for any reason it is desired to dismantle the same. The cockat the back of the cylinder on the pipe connecting the reservoir Gtherewith is closed, as is also the cock K. The engine is stopped, andthe pitman of the eompressioucylinder A is now disconnected from thecrank B. The engine is again started and the compressor A, beingcontinued in operation, draws off all the ammonia from the cylinder Aand the pipe D through the pipe h and cook II. The cock LT, on pipe D isthen closed, and the cylinder A may be dismantled or opened andinspected or repaired at leisure.

It will be noticed that under the above-dc scribed condition of affairsthe cylinder A is operating the entire system, the gas passing fromreservoir C through pipe E to the cooling-coils F F, having access tothe latter through the branch and cock I, and, after passing through thecompartment R, returning to the pipe D through the branch h and cock H,and by way of said pipe D to the compression-cylindcr A.

If the cylinder A should need rcpairs,it will be readily understood thatthe above opera tion may be reversed and the cylinder A made to operatethe entire system. As a further illustration of the adaptability of my'apparatus tinued in operation until a vacuum is formed.

in the coil F, the manifold P, the pipes Q, and the manifold O. Thecocks L and M are then closed and the coil F may be taken apart andrepaired' The brine system.-I will now, having described theconstruction and operation of the ammonia system, proceed to describethe system of distributing the cooled brine throughoutthe apartmentswhich are to be kept cooled. In this connection it may be well tomention that the class of machines of which my invention is a type areprincipal-1y employed in breweries, and that in the process of brewingmalt liquors the freshly-boiled liquid called wort is cooled by pouringit over coils or lines of pipethrough which cold water is run. This coldwater is usually produced by melting a large quantity of ice in a tankofwater, and

.hence the cooling of the wort forms a not inconsiderabletportion of theexpense of brewing. I propose to cool the wort by substituting for theice-water ordinarily employed the brine from one of the compartments ofmy double brineboX or tank, the brine from the other tank, meanwhile,being used solely for the purpose of cooling the cellars andstoragerooms of the brewery. This end I accomplish as follows: On theleft-hand side of the brinetank (see Fig. 1 of the drawings) I havearranged a pump, U of the ordinary or any desired form. T designates theinlet-pipe of said pump divided into two branches, U U,

which communicate, respectively,with thetwo compartments R R of thebrine-tank, and are provided with cocks s s. \Vhen pumping to thecellar, both the cocks s s are opened and the brine passes oft to thecellar (or to whatever apartments are to be kept cool) from the pump Uby a pipe, NV, and returns to the compartment R of the brine-tank by apipe, WV, and to the compartment R by a branch, a, from the. pipe WV,said branch being provided with a cock, a as shown. A branch, V, havinga cock, 1;, leads from the pipe U to a pump, V, from which leads a pipe,X, conveying the brine to the wort-cooling apparatus and back again tothe compartment B of the brinetank. When it is desired to cool'the wortand at the same time maintain alow temperature in the cellars, thestop-cocks s and a are closed and the stopcock U is opened. The pump Visthen putin operation and the brine for supplying the wort-coolingapparatus is pumped solely from, and back into the compartment R whilethe brine from compartment R goes constantly to the cellar, as before.

It will be observed that by means of the above-described arrangement ofparts I am enabled to cool wort rapidly and without ad ditional expense,and at the same time maintain at the proper temperature the air in thecellars or other storage-apartments.

The above-described method of separately distributing the brine from onecompartment of the brine-tankto the wort-cooling apparatus while thebrine from the other compartmentis led solely to the cooling coils inthe cellars or storage-rooms is of great advantage, for if the brineafter passingthrough the wortcooling apparatus were to be mixed in withthe brine whichis employed in cooling (the storage-rooms the consequencewould be that the temperature of the entire contents of the brine-tankwould be raised to such a degree as would allow the temperature in thestorage rooms or cellars to rise considerably above the minimumnecessary to the proper preservation of their contents.

The oil regaining device-In the apparatus oil-pipes which convey the oilto and from the striding-boxes forms no part of my present invention,and hence will not be particularly described. Sufliceit to say that theoil is all led into and out of a reservoir, lettered Z in the drawings.The oil which is thus pumped to and from the striding-boxes of theduplicate compressioncylinders eventually absorbs a small quantity ofthe ammoniaeal gas, which, being of less specific gravity than the oil,collects in the upper portion' of the oil-reservoir Z. A pipe, z, havinga cock, Z2, connects the said oil-reservoir with the return-pipe D, andwhen a quantity of the gas has collected in the oil-reservoir the cock 2is opened and the gas is drawn into the ammonia system.

I claim- 1. The combination of two complete refrigerating systemsoperating independently, having their several lines of pipe providedwith suitable stop-cocks and being connected at one or more points by apipe or pipes provided with stop-cocks, whereby, if desired, the vaporized charge from one system may be transferred to the other,substantially as described.

2. The combination,with the duplicate compression cylinders,cooling-coils, and expansion-pipes, designed and adapted to beindependently operated, and connections between these parts, of abrine-tank divided into compartments, the contents of each compartmentbeing cooled by one of the sets of refrigerating apparatus and bothcompartments supplying brine to a common pump and cooling systemconnected therewith, substantially as described. I

3. The combination, with a brine'tank di- IIS vided into separatecompartments, and a pump communicating with both the compartments of thetank and conveying their contents to a common system of cooling-pipes,of a second pump connected to the pipes between the first pump and onecompartment of the brine-tank and conveying the brine to a wort-coolingapparatus and thence back to the compartment from which it was firsttaken, substantially as described, suitable cocks being placed on theconnecting pipes, whereby when the brine from one compartment isconveyed to the wort-cooling apparatus the connection with the othercompartment may be cut oft, as set forth.

4:. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination, wit-h duplicaterefrigerating systems comprising compression cylinders, coolingcoils,and expansion-pipes, of a brine-tank divided into separate compartmentsand suitable cocks and connecting-pipes connecting the duplicatesystems, whereby the brine in each compartment may be cooled by theoperation of the compressioncylinder pertaining thereto or the brine inboth compartments cooled by the operation of either cylinder alone.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus,thecombination, with duplicatecompressioncylinders receiving motion from asingle engine, ofabrinetankconnecting with both compressioncylinders and means, substantially asdescribed, whereby its liquid contents may be cooled by the operation ofeither cylinder separately or the conjoint action of both, such meansconsisting, essentially, of connections between the pipes leading fromthe compressioncylinders and suitable stop cocks, as set forth.

6. In an ammonia plant for cooling and refrigerating, the combination ofthe following elements, to wit: duplicate compression-cylinders, anengine for operating the same, duplicate ammonia-cooling coils,duplicate expansion-coils, abrine-t-ank divided into separatecompartments, each compartment containing an expansion-coil, a pumpcommunicating with both compartments, a system of cooling-pipesconnected to said pump, and a return therefrom divided into branchesleading to both said compartments, substantially as described.

7. In an ammonia plant for cooling and refrigerating, the combination ofthe following elements, to wit: duplicate compression-cylinders, anengine for operating the same, duplicate ammonia-cooling coils,duplicate expansion-coils, a brine-tank divided into separatecompartments, each compartment containing an expansion-coil, a pumpcommunicating with both compartments, a system of coolingpipes connectedto said pump, and a return therefrom divided into branches leading toboth said compartments, one of said branches being provided with a valveor cook, and a second pump being arranged so as to take the brine fromone compartment to a wort-cooling apparatus and return it to the samecompartment, all as set forth. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this21st day of April, 1887.

AUGUSTv SNYDER.

IV it n esses:

Jos. B. CONNOLLY, JOHN F. ATOHESON.

